Gilligan's Backpacker Hotel & Resort Cairns

Best hostel in Cairns, I had a great stay here! The hostel was clean and comfortable, and everyone was really friendly and welcoming. The staff were lovely and always happy to help. I really enjoyed my time here and would definitely stay again. Highly recommended! A special mention to the lovely Ji,the best receptionist, was always friendly, helpful and welcoming

For what we needed Gilligan's delivered. The room was clean, comfortable and well laid out, and the hostel is an easy walk to everything you could possibly want to do (and probably some things you shouldn't). It's also right next to Rusty's market which is a great place to lose an hour or two. If you don't want your sleep disturbed all night by numpties banging on your door, your neighbour sitting on their balcony talking loudly (and smoking), and the street cleaner coming through at 4.30am, bring some earplugs because it's a backpackers and they know how to party.

I had a great experience with Gilligan’s, and the customer service alone deserves five stars. I was staying here before beginning my Open Water Diver course, and unfortunately there was an issue with my accommodation booking through my travel provider. When I arrived on the morning of my stay, there was no reservation under my name. The staff were incredibly calm, understanding and professional while helping me navigate the situation. Later that afternoon, once my travel provider finally submitted the booking, they immediately recognised that I had effectively been double booked and processed my refund without any hassle. They handled a stressful situation with genuine care, even though the issue wasn’t their fault. The hostel itself is clean, well located and extremely convenient if you’re doing a ProDive Cairns course, with easy pick-up and drop-off. That said, it’s worth knowing what kind of hostel you’re booking. Gilligan’s is very much a party hostel. Music from the bar can be heard from the rooms well into the night, so if you’re a light sleeper or have an early start (like I did for scuba diving), I’d recommend bringing earplugs or considering whether the atmosphere is right for you. If you’re travelling to socialise, meet other travellers and enjoy Cairns’ nightlife, I think you’ll have an amazing time here. If you’re after a quiet night’s sleep, it may not be the best fit and that’s simply the nature of a lively party hostel rather than a criticism of the venue. A huge thank you to the staff for turning what could have been a very stressful start to my trip into a positive experience. Sometimes the best measure of customer service is how a business responds when something goes wrong, and Gilligan’s absolutely delivered.

Had a great stay at Gilligan's Hotel & Resort! It's a fun, social hostel atmosphere with the option of private rooms, which was the perfect combination for us. Our room was spacious, clean, and surprisingly quiet, making it easy to relax after a busy day exploring. The housekeeping service did a great job keeping everything tidy throughout our stay. One of the best parts was the variety of activities offered each day, making it easy to meet people and stay entertained. The onsite restaurant is also a great value, especially with the daily $10 meal specials. Having the two-story nightclub attached adds to the fun atmosphere and creates a lively social scene without even having to leave the property. Great vibes all around, and I'd definitely stay here again!